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Vatican officially recognizes “State of Palestine” in treaty

Vatican recognizes “State of Palestine” in treaty switching diplomatic relations to former PLO to “Palestine”

Abbas and the Pope in October

The Vatican has officially recognized “the State of Palestine”- in an official treaty in regards to the Catholic Church’s “concerns of the Catholic Church in the Palestinian territory”. The treaty, finalized just a few days before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is to visit Pope Francis in the Vatican, has been made official in which the “Holy See” has changed diplomatic relations with the PLO to the of the “State of Palestine”.

The Vatican announced on Wednesday that it has changed its formal recognition of the “Palestinian Liberation Organization” to that of the State of Palestine” in what the Vatican’s Deputy Foreign Minister Monsignor Antoine Camilleri referred to as “aims to enhance the life and activities of the Catholic Church and its recognition at the judicial level” in regards to the Palestinians and the “Holy See’s position”.

Spokesman for the Vatican, Father Federico Lombardi stated that “We have recognized the State of Palestine ever since it was given recognition by the United Nations and it is already listed as the State of Palestine in our official yearbook” vocalizing support for the United Nations General Assembly’s 2012 decision to recognize “Palestine” as a state.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry responded to the announcement and changed status by the Vatican stating that, “This move does not promote the peace process and distances the Palestinian leadership from returning to direct and bilateral negotiations. Israel will study the agreement and will consider its steps accordingly.”